PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
COMMITTEE ON INTER-AMERICAN SUMMITS MANAGEMENT
AND CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION
IN OAS ACTIVITIES
OEA/Ser.G
CP/CISC-331/07
22 August 2007
Original: Spanish
APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN OAS ACTIVITIES
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 6 OF THE GUIDELINES FOR
PARTICIPATION BY CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
IN OAS ACTIVITIES [CP/RES. 759 (1217/99)]
Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women (Afro-Costa Rican Women’s Center)
APPLICATION BY THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BLACK COSTA
RICAN WOMEN (AFRO-COSTA RICAN WOMEN’S CENTER) TO PARTICIPATE
IN OAS ACTIVITIES PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 6 OF THE GUIDELINES FOR
PARTICIPATION BY CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
IN OAS ACTIVITIES [CP/RES. 759 (1217/99)]
This document was prepared by the Summits Secretariat to provide information to the OAS
Committee on Inter-American Summits Management and Civil Society Participation in OAS
Activities (CISC) on the civil society organization Association for the Development of Black Costa
Rican Women (Afro-Costa Rican Women’s Center). The information contained herein is in response
to resolution CP/RES. 759 (1217/99), “Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society
Organizations in OAS Activities,” and includes a list of documentation presented by the Afro-Costa
Rican Women’s Center in accordance with the aforementioned Guidelines.
1.
Background
The Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women (Afro-Costa Rican
Women’s Center) is a nonprofit organization founded in Limón, Costa Rica, in 1992. Its mission is to
educate society by promoting the cultural, economic, political, and social development of Afro-Costa
Rican women and their communities. To achieve its objectives, this organization encourages
denunciations of racial discrimination by holding educational seminars and meetings of leaders of
civil society organizations.
The revenue of the Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women comes
from organizations such as the World Bank, the Ford Foundation, the United Nations, the European
Commission, and from the sale of the Association’s publications.
The Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women submitted its
application on January 25, 2007.
2.
Name, address, and date of establishment of the CSO
Name:
Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women
(Afro-Costa Rican Women’s Center)
Address:
Guadalupe, Del antiguo Cine Reina
75 al sur. Apto, No.6
San José, Costa Rica
Telephone number:
(506) 253-9814
Fax:
(506) 224-9942
E-mail address:
mujerdp@ice.co.cr
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Web address:
www.movimientos.org/mujerafro
President:
Ann McKinley Meza
Treasurer:
Epsy Campbell Barr
Date of establishment: October 15, 1995
3.
Primary areas of activity of the CSO and their relationship to OAS activities
The Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women has certain objectives in
common with the OAS with respect to promotion of the human rights of segments of the population
and communities of African descent and to promoting gender equality in the Americas. Its areas of
activity that relate to those of the OAS are:
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4.
Providing education through seminars and workshops to train justice system officials
and the military and civilian authorities responsible for protecting human rights;
Coordinating efforts with other civil society organizations and government
institutions to address the needs of persons of African descent;
Contributing to the implementation and evaluation of public policies relating to
human rights;
Running educational programs on gender, ethnical diversity, and culture;
Developing and establishing accessible mechanisms for citizens to complain of cases
of discrimination.
CSO contributions that could be of interest to the OAS
The Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women strives to promote the
human rights of persons of African descent and their communities. Its activities consist of:
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5.
Developing and carrying out activities to protect and promote the human rights,
social inclusion, and participation of persons of African descent in political and
social decision-making;
Implementing agreements with civil society organizations and/or governmental
institutions and cooperation agencies that aim to raise the standard of living of
persons of African descent;
Staging meetings and other events to promote the cultural manifestations of black
communities.
Identification of the OAS work areas in which the CSO undertakes to support ongoing
activities or to make recommendations on the best way to achieve OAS objectives
The Association for the Development of Black Costa Rican Women considers that it can
contribute to OAS efforts to promote human rights and institution-building in a number of activities
being undertaken in the region. This includes:
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6.
Supporting the work of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)
by disseminating information on human and civic rights, especially those related to
persons of African descent;.
Supporting and disseminating the work of the Inter-American Commission of
Women in the field of gender equality and the civil and political rights of women of
African descent;
Contributing to the work of the Working Group to prepare a Draft Inter-American
Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance of the
Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP) and monitoring implementation
of that Convention;
Participating in international cooperation forums, such as those held in the
framework of the Summits of the Americas process and the OAS General Assembly;
Disseminating the principles outlined in the Declaration of Mar del Plata of the
Fourth Summit of the Americas for combating racism and discrimination.
Documents submitted by the CSO to the OAS
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CP18799E04
Letter addressed to the Secretary General (April 17, 2007)
Articles of incorporation (March 11, 1996)
Statutes (March 11, 1996)
Annual Reports corresponding to 1995-2005
Institutional mission statement
Financial statements for 2005